Zola will need to sell players before he can buy. Photograph: Christopher Lee/Getty Images

The West Ham vice chairman Asgeir Fridgeirsson insisted today that the club will not be affected by the Icelandic bank Landsbanki going into receivership and that the future of the club remains stable despite the economic turmoil affecting the bank.

Iceland's banking system was thrown into chaos today when the government took control of Landsbanki, the second biggest bank in the country, to stop it collapsing. West Ham's chairman, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, is a major shareholder in the bank and chaired the company until he was sacked today.

"He (Gudmundsson) is not absolutely sure how this will directly affect him, but one thing he is sure of is that this will have no implications on the other investments of him and his family," said Fridgeirsson. "I don't think there's any reason to be too pessimistic. West Ham United is a wonderful club and a well-run company. This investment was very important for him, but not his only one ... There is no reason to fear that he will not honour his commitment to West Ham football club."

The financial problems that Gudmundsson is experiencing have led to suggestions that West Ham's new manager Gianfranco Zola will have no money to spend on improving his squad when the transfer window re-opens on January 1. Fridgeirsson revealed Gudmundsson has invested £30m in the club since taking over as chairman last December. He did say, however, that any future transfers would have to be financed by player sales because the squad is already too big.

"Our manager agrees it is not necessary for the squad to be that size so for further transfers the money would need to be generated from sales," said Fridgeirsson. "There is no intention for him to invest further in the club at the moment. The club is standing strong, it is generating revenue and Mr Gudmundsson is not going to take money out of the club."

Worries had been raised about the financial stability of the club even before Landsbanki went into receivership. Last month West Ham were left with a potential £5m shortfall after the club's shirt sponsor XL went bust. Then two weeks ago an independent tribunal ruled against West Ham in the Carlos Tevez transfer affair, leaving them liable to a £30m compensation claim. The club have since revealed they intend to appeal that decision.

Newspaper reports last weekend suggested that Indian billionaire Anil Ambani is poised to make a bid for the club. Fridgeirsson admitted that several parties were interested in buying the club, but said Gudmundsson had no plans to sell. "There have been agents all around the club trying to get our attention but we have turned them away," he said.

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